SNP calls on UK Government to commit to carbon capture funding for project

The SNP is calling on the UK Government to “put its money where its mouth is” on carbon capture funding after a Scottish project was “snubbed”.

Its Westminster leader Stephen Flynn MP has written to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling for immediate funding for the Acorn project in North East Scotland following what the party described as continual delays from Westminster.

The Acorn project, said to be critical to decarbonising Scotland’s industry, involves carbon capture and storage and hydrogen infrastructure projects proposed for the St Fergus gas terminal north of Peterhead in Aberdeenshire.

Mr Flynn said the Acorn project was “snubbed” in 2021 in the Track 1 stage of funding for carbon capture sites in favour of sites in England and was instead only given “reserve” status.

In his letter to the Prime Minister Mr Flynn said this was a “complete and utter betrayal of our energy sector, our Net Zero ambitions and our corner of the world” and called for funding for the project.

He said: “Given the undoubted importance of hitting Net Zero, and the obvious deliverability of Carbon Capture Utilisation and Underground Storage (CCUS) in the North East, your lack of investment is incomprehensible and it is imperative that funding for Acorn is announced as soon as possible.”

Speaking ahead of a visit to St Fergus on Monday, Mr Flynn said “the time for warm words is well and truly over”.

He said: “The UK government must finally announce funding for the Acorn project, without further delay and stop holding back jobs and investment in the north east.

“Westminster has taken £400 billion from Scotland’s natural oil and gas resources, and it’s high time they gave something back.”

He added: “It’s time the Tory government put right the wrongs of the past, and put its money where its mouth is on carbon capture funding.

“By continually delaying this crucial investment, the Tories have shown exactly why Scotland needs independence.

“Only with the full powers of independence, can Scotland unleash its potential and create a fairer energy system that works in the interests of Scottish industry and our economy.”

An HMRC spokesman said: “We are taking significant action to encourage investment in renewable generation, including committing £30 billion to support the domestic green industrial revolution.

“While the initial set of carbon capture clusters has been confirmed, this is by no means the extent of our ambition, and the selection process for the second set of clusters will be set out in due course.”

A UK Government spokesperson added: “We are making the UK a world leader in carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) and are accelerating development of this vital technology, with UK government funding of £1 billion via our Carbon Capture Infrastructure Fund.

“We have committed to establishing two CCUS industrial clusters by the mid-2020s and a further two clusters by 2030. The strong potential of the Aberdeenshire Acorn project has been confirmed by the cluster sequencing process – which is just the start and good news for the future competitiveness of Scotland’s industry.”